Laura Helmuth

Helmuth grew up in Indiana.{{Cite news |last=Scribner |first=Herb |date=November 14, 2024 |title=Scientific American editor steps down after election comments draw backlash |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/style/media/2024/11/14/scientific-american-laura-helmuth-quits/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://archive.today/20241114234940/https://www.washingtonpost.com/style/media/2024/11/14/scientific-american-laura-helmuth-quits/ |archive-date=November 14, 2024 |access-date=November 15, 2024 |newspaper=The Washington Post}} She attended Eckerd College in St. Petersburg, Florida, where she received her Bachelor of Science in biology and psychology in 1991. She then attended the University of California, Berkeley, where she received her Ph.D. in cognitive neuroscience in 1997.{{Cite web|url=https://www.scientificamerican.com/pressroom/pr/scientific-american-appoints-laura-helmuth-editor-in-chief/|title=Scientific American appoints Laura Helmuth Editor-in-Chief|website=Pressroom|language=en|access-date=6 October 2022}} She performed her doctoral work in the laboratory of Richard Ivry. Her research centered on the underlying neuroscience of Parkinson's disease and contributed to the thesis Sequence Learning in Patients with Parkinson's Disease.{{Cite journal|last1=Helmuth|first1=Laura Lee|last2=Mayr|first2=Ulrich|last3=Daum|first3=Irene|date=2000|title=Sequence Learning in Patients with Parkinson's Disease: A comparison of spatial-attention and number-response sequences |url=https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0028393200000592|journal=Neuropsychologia|volume=38|issue=11|doi=10.1016/S0028-3932(00)00059-2|pages=1443–1451|pmid=10906370 |s2cid=23803927 |access-date=6 October 2022}} Her research included the role of the cerebellum in verbal function, learning, attention, and studying how the brain coordinates and executes cyclic movements.{{Cite journal|last1=Helmuth|first1=Laura Lee|last2=Ivry|first2=Richard B.|date=1996|title=When two hands are better than one: Reduced timing variability during bimanual movements|journal=Journal of Experimental Psychology|url=https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/8934844/|series=Human Perception and Performance|language=en|volume=22|issue=2|pages=278–293|doi=10.1037/0096-1523.22.2.278|pmid=8934844 |issn=1939-1277|access-date=6 October 2022}}{{Cite journal|last1=Helmuth|first1=Laura Lee|last2=Ivry|first2=Richard B.|last3=Shimizu|first3=Naomi|date=1997|title=Preserved performance by cerebellar patients on tests of word generation, discrimination learning, and attention|url=http://learnmem.cshlp.org/content/3/6/456|journal=Learning & Memory|language=en|volume=3|issue=6|pages=456–474|doi=10.1101/lm.3.6.456|issn=1072-0502|pmid=10456111|doi-access=free|access-date=6 October 2022}}

In 1998, she earned a certificate in science communication from University of California, Santa Cruz.{{Cite web|url=https://news.ucsc.edu/2019/04/pbsci-alumni-awards.html|title=Physical and Biological Sciences Division honors three prominent alumni|last=Stephens|first=Tim|website=UC Santa Cruz News|language=en|access-date=11 March 2020}} She began her science-writing career as an intern at Science News.{{Cite web|url=https://www.sciencenews.org/article/finding-stories-growing-the-next-crop-of-science-journalists|title=Finding the stories and growing the next crop of science journalists|date=18 September 2019|website=Science News|language=en-US|access-date=6 October 2022}}

Helmuth began her writing career as a staff reporter and editor for Science magazine, from 1999 to 2004.{{Cite news|url=https://news.stonybrook.edu/oncampus/my-life-as-speaker-series-returns-with-science-writer-laura-helmuth/|title=My Life As Speaker Series Returns with Science Writer Laura Helmuth|date=19 September 2019|publisher=Stonybrook University|access-date=6 October 2022|language=en}} She then became a Science Editor at Smithsonian Magazine, where she remained from 2004 to 2012 before becoming the Science and Health editor at the online magazine Slate.{{Cite web|url=https://slate.com/author/laura-helmuth|title=Laura Helmuth|website=Slate|language=en|access-date=6 October 2022}}{{Cite web|url=https://slate.com/technology/two-lives|title=Two Lives|website=Slate|language=en|access-date=2020-03-11}}{{Cite magazine|url=https://slate.com/news-and-politics/2015/08/slates-weekly-roundup-laura-helmuth-on-her-week-at-slate.html|title=What Happened at Slate This Week?|first=Laura|last=Helmuth|magazine=Slate |date=August 21, 2015|via=slate.com}} On April 28, 2016, Helmuth was appointed The Washington Post's editor of Health, Science and Environment,{{Cite news|url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/pr/wp/2016/04/28/laura-helmuth-joins-national-team-as-editor/|title=Laura Helmuth joins National team as editor|newspaper=The Washington Post|language=en|url-access=subscription|access-date=6 October 2022}} where she initiated a Post series called "Medical Mysteries."

On April 13, 2020, Helmuth became the ninth overall editor-in-chief of Scientific American, succeeding Mariette DiChristina.

File:Laura Helmuth - Flickr - treegrow.jpg in 2010]]

Helmuth has written about and lectured on combatting "misinformation through science journalism." She has stated that, in science journalism, it has started to be recognized that "there are not always two sides to every story." She offered the example of evolution, in relation to which she said, "we don’t quote creationists,” while she added that “with climate change, you can disagree about what to do about [it], but the science of it is completely, comprehensively proven.”{{Cite web|url=https://www.sbstatesman.com/2019/10/02/washington-post-editor-discusses-science-and-transparency-at-latest-my-life-as-lecture/|title=Washington Post editor discusses science and transparency at latest 'My Life As' lecture|last=Ledda|first=Brianne|date= 2 October 2019|website=The Statesman|language=en-US|access-date=6 October 2022}} While at the Washington Post, she oversaw the development of a video series called The Vaccine Project, written by Anna Rothschild and Brian Monroe, to address vaccine hesitancy.

In 2020, after the coronovirus pandemic erupted, Helmuth developed a tip sheet to help journalists cover it. She explained that "repetition makes misinformation feel more true."{{Cite web|url=https://www.nasw.org/COVID19tips|title=Tips for covering the coronavirus epidemic effectively without spreading misinformation|last=Helmuth|first=Laura|date=2 March 2020 |website=National Association of Science Writers|language=en|access-date=6 October 2022}}{{Cite web|url=https://www.motherjones.com/media/2020/03/want-to-avoid-spreading-coronavirus-misinformation-think-like-a-science-journalist/|title=Want to avoid spreading coronavirus misinformation? Think like a science journalist.|last=Leber|first=Rebecca|website=Mother Jones|language=en-US|access-date=6 October 2022}}

For the 2020 presidential election, Scientific American announced its endorsement of Joe Biden, the first endorsement of a presidential candidate in the magazine's 175-year history. The endorsement argued that Donald Trump "has badly damaged the U.S. and its people—because he rejects evidence and science", citing Trump's response to the COVID-19 pandemic.{{cite news |last=Chow |first=Denise |date=15 September 2020 |title=Biden receives endorsement from Scientific American, magazine's first in 175-year history |url=https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/2020-election/biden-receives-endorsement-scientific-american-magazine-s-first-175-year-n1240134 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240421081420/https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/2020-election/biden-receives-endorsement-scientific-american-magazine-s-first-175-year-n1240134 |archive-date=April 21, 2024 |access-date=November 15, 2024 |work=NBC News}}{{cite news |last=Martin |first=Rachel |date=17 September 2020 |title='Scientific American' Breaks 175 Years Of Tradition, Endorses A Presidential Nominee |url=https://www.npr.org/2020/09/17/913881019/scientific-american-breaks-tradition-endorses-a-presidential-candidate|work=NPR |access-date=6 October 2022}}{{cite news |last=Belam |first=Martin |date=16 September 2020 |title=Prestigious US science journal to back Biden in first endorsement in 175-year history|url=https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2020/sep/16/prestigious-us-science-journal-breaks-with-tradition-to-back-biden|work=The Guardian |access-date=6 October 2022}} Helmuth said that the magazine's decision to endorse Biden was fast and unanimous, although not one made lightly, and that the endorsement was written to be "as inclusive as possible".{{Cite news |last=Bellware |first=Kim |date=September 15, 2020 |title=Scientific American backs Biden for its first presidential endorsement in 175 years |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/science/2020/09/15/scientific-american-joe-biden/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://archive.today/20200916014734/https://www.washingtonpost.com/science/2020/09/15/scientific-american-joe-biden/ |archive-date=September 16, 2020 |access-date=November 15, 2024 |newspaper=The Washington Post}}

Scientific American endorsed Kamala Harris in the 2024 presidential election, writing that Donald Trump "endangers public health and safety and rejects evidence, preferring instead nonsensical conspiracy fantasies."{{Cite web |last=Valinsky |first=Jordan |date=November 15, 2024 |title=Editor-in-chief of America's oldest magazine resigns after calling Trump voters fascists |url=https://www.cnn.com/2024/11/15/media/scientific-american-editor-resignation/index.html |url-status=live |archive-url=https://archive.today/20241115125146/https://www.cnn.com/2024/11/15/media/scientific-american-editor-resignation/index.html |archive-date=November 15, 2024 |access-date=November 15, 2024 |website=CNN}}{{Cite news |last=Page |first=Myriam |date=September 18, 2024 |title=Scientific American makes presidential endorsement for only the second time in its 179-year history |url=https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/americas/us-politics/scientific-american-endorse-harris-trump-election-b2614153.html |url-status=live |archive-url=https://archive.today/20240918030739/https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/americas/us-politics/scientific-american-endorse-harris-trump-election-b2614153.html |archive-date=September 18, 2024 |access-date=November 15, 2024 |work=The Independent}} Following Trump's victory, Helmuth criticized his supporters in a series of Bluesky posts, referring to many as "fascists" and the "meanest, dumbest, most bigoted" group. Helmuth's remarks received backlash on Twitter, where some commenters questioned her commitment to scientific objectivity. Helmuth apologized for her "offensive and inappropriate" language and announced her decision to leave her post several days later.[https://www.nytimes.com/2024/11/15/business/media/laura-helmuth-resigns-scientific-american.html "Scientific American Editor Resigns After Calling Some Trump Supporters 'Fascists'"], New York Times, November 15, 2024.{{Cite news |last=Smith |first=Benedict |date=November 15, 2024 |title=Science journal editor resigns after calling Gen X fascists over Trump win |url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/us/news/2024/11/15/laura-helmuthg-resigns-after-calling-gen-x-fascists/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://archive.today/20241115194911/https://www.telegraph.co.uk/us/news/2024/11/15/laura-helmuthg-resigns-after-calling-gen-x-fascists/ |archive-date=November 15, 2024 |access-date=November 15, 2024 |work=The Telegraph}}

Helmuth serves as a member of the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine's Standing Committee on the project for Advancing Science Communication Research and Practice.{{Cite web|url=https://www.nationalacademies.org/our-work/standing-committee-on-advancing-science-communication-research-and-practice#sectionCommittee|title=Standing Committee on Advancing Science Communication|publisher=National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine |access-date=6 October 2022}}{{Cite book|editor1-first=Steve|editor1-last=Olson|url=https://www.nap.edu/read/24958/chapter/10|title=The Science of Science Communication III: Inspiring Novel Collaborations and Building Capacity: Proceedings of a Colloquium|publisher=National Academies Press|year=2018|isbn=978-0-309-46858-9|location=Washington, DC|language=en|doi=10.17226/24958|pmid=29901953|author1=National Academy of Sciences}} She has also given lectures at institutions like the American Institute of Physics, the National Academy of Sciences, and the University of Wisconsin–Madison about how science journalists can counter misinformation and address uncertainty in their reporting.{{Cite web|url=https://www.aip.org/aip/assembly/laura-helmuth|title=Laura Helmuth|date=12 February 2018 |website=American Institute of Physics|language=en|access-date=6 October 2022}}

From 2017 to 2018, Helmuth served as president of the National Association of Science Writers.{{Cite web|url=https://www.nasw.org/past-presidents|title=NASW past presidents|publisher=National Association of Science Writers|language=en|access-date=6 October 2022}} She has also served as a board member for the Society for Science and the Public, and the American Association for the Advancement of Science's SciLine service which connects scientists and journalists.{{Cite web|url=https://psychology.berkeley.edu/psychology-part-ii-our-female-phd-graduates-berkeley|title=Psychology Part II: Our Female Ph.D. Graduates at Berkeley|website=Berkeley Psychology|publisher=University of California, Berkeley|language=en-US|date=2019|access-date=6 October 2022}}

• {{cite news |date=22 December 2008|title=Hanukkah Food Smackdown! Latkes vs. Hamantashen|url=https://www.smithsonianmag.com/arts-culture/hanukkah-food-smackdown-latkes-vs-hamantashen-49752543/ |work=Smithsonian|access-date=8 October 2022}}
• {{cite news |date=7 March 2011|title=Why Bird Brains Bloom in Spring|url=https://www.smithsonianmag.com/science-nature/why-bird-brains-bloom-in-spring-45154088/|work=Smithsonian|access-date=8 October 2022}}
• {{cite news |date=18 June 2013|title=Happy 30th, Sally Ride's First Space Flight. You Came Too Late|url=https://slate.com/human-interest/2013/06/happy-30th-anniversary-sally-ride-s-first-space-flight.html|work=Slate|access-date=8 October 2022}}
• {{cite news |date=5 September 2013|title=Two Lives: Why Are You Not Dead Yet?|url=https://slate.com/technology/2013/09/life-expectancy-history-public-health-and-medical-advances-that-lead-to-long-lives.html?via=recirc_recent|work=Slate|access-date=8 October 2022}}
• {{cite news |date=1 December 2014|title=James Watson Throws a Fit: The disgraced co-discoverer of DNA is selling his Nobel Prize |url=https://slate.com/technology/2014/12/james-watson-selling-nobel-prize-dna-structure-discoverers-history-of-racism-and-sexism.html|work=Slate |access-date=8 October 2022}}
• {{cite journal |date=September 2020 |title=Celebrating our demisemiseptcentennial |journal=Scientific American |volume=323 |issue=3 |pages=6 |url=https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/celebrating-scientific-american-rsquo-s-175th-anniversary/|access-date=6 October 2022}}Online version is titled "Celebrating Scientific American’s 175th anniversary".

• Distinguished Graduate Student Alumni Award, University of California, Santa Cruz, 2019{{Cite web|url=https://graddiv.ucsc.edu/events/distinguished-grad-student-alumni/grad-alumni-award-2019.html|title=2019 Distinguished Graduate Student Alumni|website=Division of Graduate Studies|publisher=UC Santa Cruz|access-date=October 6, 2022}}
• Writer in Residence, University of Wisconsin–Madison, 2018{{Cite web|first=Terry|last=Devitt|date=October 18, 2018|url=https://news.wisc.edu/washington-posts-helmuth-is-uw-science-writer-in-residence/|title=Washington Post's Helmuth is UW Science Writer in Residence|website=News|publisher=University of Wisconsin, Madison|language=en-US|access-date=October 6, 2022}}
• In 2023 she received the Friend of Darwin award from the National Center for Science Education (NCSE) according to the executive director Ann Reid for having “tirelessly promoted the cause of evolution education”.{{cite web |title=Friend of Darwin and Friend of the Planet awards for 2023 |url=https://ncse.ngo/friend-darwin-and-friend-planet-awards-2023 |website=NCSE.ngo |publisher=National Center for Science Education |access-date=14 August 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230814183605/https://ncse.ngo/friend-darwin-and-friend-planet-awards-2023 |archive-date=14 August 2023}}

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